Literature for Change: The Case for Literary Research Across Languages and Cultures

Literature for Change is a timely and thought-provoking intervention that tackles the critical question of how the study of literary texts in languages other than English, and their production, circulation and reception, contributes to efforts to address today's most pressing social challenges. Featuring ten case studies across diverse languages and cultures, the book explores the transformative real-world impact that literary research has made on society. Taking hermeneutic and aesthetic approaches, the case studies illustrate the contribution of literary studies to areas as disparate as the museums and heritage sector, the environmental and medical humanities and the digital world. The volume advocates for a plurality of approaches, including creative enquiry with a solid theoretical grounding, and of the connectivity of literary research with disciplines beyond Modern Languages and beyond the academy.At a time when the field of Modern Languages is going through significant transformation, Literature for Change makes a compelling case for the value of the discipline, and reaffirms the relevance of literary texts and the power of stories to shape social, cultural and intellectual life.